EDUC 210-The = School in a Diverse Society

For most students, this is the first course they take for their major. The stud= ents vary in degree specialization from Early Childhood, to Secondary Biology, t= o a double major in Nursing and Special Education. Unlike other “Intro= 221; courses that may have students from a variety of majors, the students in th= is course are, with a few exceptions, committed to a degree in education.=

The course content exposes students to the wide range of issues in the field. We explore the history of education and education reform, some of which is revealed through an ongoing study of school law. As the course title sugges= ts, we spend a great deal of time discussing student diversity, and students be= gin to explore how diversity impacts pedagogy. Students begin to build an understanding of learning styles, modalities, and special needs. We also explore how student life impacts education, and discuss issues of poverty, bullying, assimilation, and at-risk behaviors. We also examine the “logistics” of schools: how standards, curriculum, and assessme= nts are formed, school finance and governance, and teacher evaluation and tenur= e. In class, we explore these issues using strategies that demonstrate K-12 pedag= ogy (scaffolding, cooperative learning, literacy development).

One of the hallmark experiences in this course is the development of the student’s philosophy of education. This is a common assessment for all EDUC 210 courses, and is assessed with a common rubric. Through this, and through the study of issues in the field, this course helps students determ= ine the type of teacher they want to become. This becomes a part of their professional portfolio, the creation of which is begins in this course.

Students are gaining much of their new knowledge through textbook reading and class discussion/in-class activities. However, this is only one element of the course. The true process of discovery takes place through their field experiences. Students observe in a local school for a minimum of twenty hou= rs. To make meaning of this experience, students keep a field experience journa= l (a standard for the course, although not a common assessment). I also require students to complete Field Placement Reflective Activities, a collection of five self-selected artifacts and reflections that address INTASC (Interstate New Teacher Assessment a= nd Support Consortium) standards.

Through these lessons and experiences, students gain the knowledge, understandings,= and skills needed as foundations for their pre-professional program.=